Merry-go-round.



w. B. PAYNE.

MERRY-GO-ROUND.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 2, 1914. 1 202,214. Patented 0613. 24,1916.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

W. B. PAYNE.

MERBY-GO-ROUND.

I APPLICATION FILED SEPT- z. 1914. Patented Oct. 24, 1916- 5SHEETS-SHEET 2.

rue rmmus F'ETERS ca, WASHINGTQNI u. c.

W. B. PAYNE.

MERRY-GO-ROUND.

APPLIQATION FILED SEPT. 2. m4.

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W. B. PAYNE. MERRY-GO-ROUND. APPLI CATION FILED SEPT. 2. I9l4.

' Patented Oct. 24, 1916.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 4- 'W. B. PAYNE.

MERRY-G0-ROUND.- Armcm'ou man saw. 2, 1914.

Patented Oct. 24,- 1916.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 5 arms @PAfrE rs Q WALTER B. PAYNE, OF ROCHESTER, NEWYORK.

MERRY-GO-ROUND.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed September 2, 1914. Serial No. 859,876.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WALTER B. PAYNE, of Rochester, in the county ofMonroe and State of New York, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Merry- Go-Rounds; and I do hereby declare the followingto be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, referencebeinghad to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification,and to the reference-numerals marked thereon.

My present invention relates to amusement devices and more particularlyto merrygo-rounds of the self-propelled type such as are provided forthe amusement of children, and the invention has for its special objecttoproduce a simple, convenient and durable device of this nature inwhich are combined two motions, one of which is effected through theagency of the otherat the instance of the occupant or occupants of themerry-go-round.

To these and other ends the invention consists in certain improvementsand combinations of parts all as will be hereinafter more fullydescribed, the novel features being pointed out in the claims at theendof the specification. 1 p

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a side elevation of a merry-go-roundconstructed in accordance with and illustrating one embodiment of myinvention, in which four seats or swings are employed; Fig. 2 is a topview thereof; Fig. 3 is a side view of one of the seats; Fig. l is a topview of the outer end of one pair of radial bars of the carrier showinga portion of the driving connection; Fig. 5 is a similar view of amodified structure; Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the structure shown inFig. 5; Fig. 7 is a detail vertical sectional view through the twocentral bearings for the carrier, on'the line 7 -7 of Fig. 2; Fig. 8 isan elevation of the parts shown at the top of Fig. 7 at right angles tosaid figure; Fig. 9 is a top view of the parts shown in Fig. 7; Fig. 10is a horizontal sectional view on theline 10 1O of Fig. 7 Fig. 11 is atop view of a merrygo-round employing two seats, and Fig. 12 is a sideelevation of the upper end thereof.

Similar reference numerals throughout the several figures indicate thesame parts.

In the practice of my invention I employ a main rotary carrier, and oneor more cars or seats carried thereby and adapted to move relativelythereto, and I provide suitable mechanism whereby the occupant of theseat may cause the rotation of the carrier by actuating a driving membercarried by and relatively movable to the carrier, and operativelyconnected to the support. In the present embodiment there are employed arotary carrier A revolubleabout a vertical axis and a plurality of seatsor swings B pivoted at their upper ends at intervals about the peripheryof the carrier and movable relatively to the carrier in a fixed pathabout axes arranged tangentially with respect to the center of rotationof the carrier so that as the latter revolves they swing outwardly bycentrifugal force. I preferably use as a vertical support for thecarrier a cylindrical upright such as a tubu- 'lar steel or iron post 1,solidly anchored in the ground as by cement 2. The carrier A embodies aplurality of pairs of radial bars 3, the bars of each pair beingpreferably united near their outer ends by cross bars Fl. The bars 3 areunited at their inner ends by a connecting member 5 revolving on ahearing at the top of the post and provided with radial ears 6projecting between the ends of the bars 3 which are secured thereto bybolts 7 The outer ends of the bars are supported by uprights 3 extendingfrom points near the outerends of the bars 3 to a lower annularconnecting member 8 revolving on a hearing at the foot of the support 1,said member having ears 9 projecting between the lower ends of each pairof uprights 3 which are secured thereto by boltslO. The several pairs ofbars 3 are further connected near their outer ends by braces 4*preferably of wire and drawn taut by turnbuckles 4;

making a rigid carrier frame.

The swings or seats B may be of any desired form, each swing beingsupported on pivots at the outer ends of the radial bars 3.

In order to propel the carrier from the swings, I employ a manuallyactuated operating member carried by each swlng and provide meanswhereby power may becarrier a driving member movable relatively thereto,said driving member being operatively connected to the operating memberand adapted to transmit power to the support.

said disk is a pin 13, which serves as a' bearing for the connectingmember and also for an oscillating clutch lever 14 which may be movedfreely in one direction but is locked to the disk 11 when an attempt ismade to move itin the opposite direction.

The clutch lever is pivoted at its center on the bearing 13 adjacent thedisk 11, and its ends overhang the latter and are provided with taperedrecesses 14? which are closed on their inner sides by the clutch disk11.

Rollers 1 4 are accommodated within the recesses and arenormallymovedtoward the small ends thereof by springs 14 or any other means, therollers being held in the recesses byU-shaped sheet metal plates 40slipped over the edge of the lever and held in placeby screws 41. Theclutch lever 14 is connected driving members in the form of links orrods 15 to the inner ends 16 of the bell crank levers 16 pivoted inbearings on the cross bars 4. The outer ends of the arms 16 of thelevers, swing so as to move in paths practically coincident with thepivotal axes of the swings B. Links 17 connect the arms 16 of the levers16 with the upper ends of operating members in the form oflevers18pivoted at 19 to bearings 20 on the swings and provided withcross bars 21 at their lower ends. The upper ends of the levers 16 alsotravel in paths practically co ncident with the pivotal axes of theswings B. consequently the l nks 17 move in substantial alinement withthe pivotal axis and transmit power to the levers 16 in a directionintersecting a point on the pivotal axis and therefore without exertingany tendency to cause an inward oroutward motion of the swings abouttheir pivots. The swinging movement of the levers 18 and 16 duringoperation is permitted by'the provision of universal joints 17 at bothends of the links 17, one of which isloosely threaded on the link so asto allow the outward motion of the swing, or instead of the universaljoints the same results are obtained by providing eyes 1'7 on the links17 engaging in similar eves at the ends of the levers V 18.and 1,6,asshown in Figs. 5 and 6.

In order to provide a bearing for the annular connecting member 8, acollar 22 is fastened firmly to the post 1 by. set screws or otherwise,and a bearing collar 23 with an overhanging flange 23 is. arranged torevolve freely thereon by means of ball bearings 24 included between theflange 23 and way between the points 26. The collar 24.

is by this arrangement allowed a universal motion to compensate forweaving of the carrier or any inadvertent inaccurate adjustment of thecollar 22.

While the construction of the swings is not essential to my invention, Iprefer the construction shown in which are used two pairs of parallelsupporting bars 48 each pair connected by a cross bar 49 at their upperends, and the lower ends of the bars 48 on the same side of the swingconverge so that they overlap and are secured together by a common bolt50. The seat back and footboard comprise side bars 51 and 52,respectively, which are connected at their ends by the bolt. 50, theouter end of the foot board being braced by bars 57, attached to theforward bars 48. Cleats 53 supporting the seat and arm rests 54 oneither side of the swing are secured to the back bars 51 and supportingbars 48. In order to prevent the separation of the pairs of bars 48,they are united by tie bars 55 near their upper ends, the frame beingfurther braced by cross bars 56 secured to the bars 55. The front crossbar carries the bracket 20 to which is pivoted at 19 the operating lever18. The outer ends of the radial arms 3 are included by the cross bars49 which are pivoted at their middle points to the ends of said radialarms and when the swing is stationary are in the plane of the radialarms. 1

In Figs. 11 and 12 I have shown the de-. vice employing only two swings.In this case, the opposite pairs of diametrically opposite rad al bars 3are braced by bars 28 fastened at their middle points by means of angleplates 29 to the ears 6 of the connecting member 5 and bearing on theouter sides of the bars 3 to which they are fastened at their extremeends by the plate 30 and bolts 31.

It will be seen that I have provided a merry-go-round which isof simpleand cheap construction, and yet eflicient in operation.-

The unpleasant sensation of falling outwardly experienced by users oftheo dinary form of merry-go-roundswith rigid seats,

has beenobviated in the present construction by means of the pivotedseats which swing outwardly at a greater or less angle according to thespeed of the carrier.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a merrygo-round, the combination with a support, arotary carrierrevoluble on the support and a swing pivoted to the carrier. ofadriving; member movable relatively to the carrier, and adapted totrans-,

mit power to the support at a point removed from the center, anoperating member on the swing and operative connections betweentheidriving. member and operating member,

said operative connections embodying a portion movable longitudinallyinsubstantial alinementwith the pivotal axis-oftheswing.

In a merry-go-round, the combination with a support, a rotary carrierrevoluble on the support and a swing pivoted to the carrier, of adriving member movable rela tively to the carrier, and adapted totransmit power to the support at a point removed from the center, anoperating member on the swing, an oscillating member on the carrierconnected to the driving member, and a con necting member between theoscillating member and operating member whereby mo tion of the lattermay be transferred to a point on the oscillating member movablesubstantially along the pivotal axis of the swing. 7 I I I I 3. In amerry-go-round, the combination with a support, a rotary carrierrevoluble on the support and a swing pivoted to the carrier, of meansfor transmitting power from the swing to a point on the support removedfrom the axis of rotation of the carrier, said means embodying connectedportions carried by the swing and carrier respectively, the motion ofthe parts at their point of connection being in a direction intersectinga point substantially on the pivotal axis of the swing.

4. In a merry-go-round, the combination with a support, a rotary carrierrevoluble on the support and a swing pivoted to the carrier, of adriving member movable relatively to the carrier,and adapted to transmit power to the support at a point removed from the center, anoperating member on the swing, an oscillating member on the car rierconnected to the driving member, and a connecting member connected tothe operating member and oscillating member at points substantially inthe pivotal axis of the swing. I

5. In a merry-go-round, the combination with a support, having upper andlower bearings, a carrier frame journaled thereon embodying upper andlower connecting members, a bearing collar revoluble on the lowerbearing of the support, and a ring between the lower connecting memberand the bearing collar, said ring being pivoted to the collar at pointson opposite sides of the support, and to the connecting member at pointsbetween the first mentioned points.

6. In a merry-go-round, the combination with a support, a rotary carrierrevoluble on the support and a swing pivoted at its up per end to thecarrier, of an operating lever pivoted to the swing, an annular clutchmember fixed on the support, a cooperating member relatively movablewith relation to the annular member in one direction, a driving linkconnected at its inner end to the co operating member,- a lever pivotedto the carrier and connected at its inner end to the outer end of thedriving link, and a link connecting the outer end of the lever to theupper end of the operating lever.

v7, In a merry-go-round, the combination with a support, a rotarycarrier revoluble on the support and a seat pivoted to the carrier, ofan operating lever pivoted to the seat, an angle lever pivoted to thecarrier, a link connected to the operating lever and angle lever atpoints substantially in the pivotal axis of the seat, and a driving linkconnected to the angle lever and adapted to transmit power to a point onthe support removed from the pivotal axis of the carrier.

8. In a merry-go-round, the combination with a support, a rotary carrierrevoluble on the support and a swing pivoted at its upper end to thecarrier, said swing embodying two pairs of parallel supporting bars, thebars on the same side of the swing converging at their lower ends, acrossbar connecting the upper ends of each pair and affording means forpivotally supporting the swing, backand foot sections converging to thepoint of intersection of the supporting bars, a bolt securing the.supporting bars, back and foot sections at their meeting ends and armrests and seat supporting cleats secured to the back bars and supportingbars.

9. In a merry-go-round, the combination with a support, a rotary carrierrevoluble on the support and a swing pivoted at its upper end to thecarrier, said swing embodying two pairs of parallel supporting bars, thebars on the same side of the swing converging at their lower ends,'across bar connecting the upper ends of each pair of bars and afiordingmeans for pivotally supporting the swing, back and foot sectionsconverging to the point of intersection of the supporting bars, a boltsecuring the supporting bars, back and foot sections at their meetingends and arm rests and seat supporting cleats secured to the back barsand supporting bars, tie bars on opposite sides of the swing connectingthe supporting bars of opposite pairs near their upper ends, cross barssecured to said tie bars, a bracket on one of said cro's's bars and anoperating lever pivoted in the bracket, and means whereby power may betransferred from the operating member to the support.

10. In a merry-go-round the combination with a support and a carrierrotatable thereon, of a swing mounted on the carrier and movablerelatively to the carrier in a fixed path about an axis arrangedtangentially with respect to the center of rotation of the carrier, anddriving means between the carrier and the support, operable by anoccupant of the swing. 1

11. In a merry-go-roundthe combination with a support and a carrierrotatable thereon, of a swing carried by the carrier and movable aboutan axis arranged tangentially with respect to the center of rotation ofthe carrier, a driving mechanism on the carrier cooperating with thesupport and having an operating portion movable with the swing andoperable by an occupant thereof.

12. In a merry-go-round the combination with a support and a rotarycarrier movable thereon, said carrier embodying radially arranged bars,of a swing having parallel supporting portions extending on the outersides of a pair of bars in the plane thereof, and pivotedto the bars atthe outer ends thereof.

13. In a. circle swing the combination with a support having upper andlower bearings, of a carrier frame journaled on the bearings, the lowerbearing embodying a bearing collar having an universal connection withthe carrier frame.

14. In a merry-go-round the combination with a support, and a carrierrotatable there on, of a rigid swing mounted on the carrier and movablerelatively thereto in a fixed path about an axis, an operating memberhaving a handle portion movable in a direction parallel with the axis,and driving means between the carrier and support, actuated by theoperating member.

15. In a merry-go-round, the combination with a support, and a carrierrotatable thereon, of a rigid swing mounted on the carrier and movablerelatively thereto in a fixed path about an axis, an operating levermovable in a plane parallel with the axis, and driving means between thecarrier and support actuated by the operating lever.

16. In a merry-go-round the combination with a support, and a carrierrotatable thereon, of a rigid swing mounted on the carrier and movablerelatively thereof in a fixed means between the carrier and supportactuated by the operating. lever.

17. In a merry-go-round the combination with a support, and a carrierrotatable thereon, of a rigid swing movable about an axis on thecarrier, a seat on the swing facing in the direction of the axis, and apivoted operating member on the swing movable in a plane parallel withthe axis, and driving means between the support and carrier actuated bythe operating member.

18. In a merry-go-round, the combination with a support and a rotarycarrier revoluble on the support, of a swing supported by the carrierand movable about an axis thereon, driving mechanism on the carrierincluding a member having a portion movable along the axis, an operatingmember on the swing also having a portion movable along the axis, andmeans connecting the first named member and the operating member wherebya relative angular motion of the two members is permitted as the swingmoves about its axis. i

19. In a merry-go-round, the combination with a support, of a rotarycarrier revoluble on the support, and a swing pivoted at its upper endto the carrier, said swing-embodying two pairs of parallel supportingbars, the bars on the same side of the swing meeting at their lowerends, and the bars of each pair being connected at their upper ends toprovide means for pivotally supporting the swing, and back and footsections converging to substantially the point of meeting ofthesupporting bars.

' WALTER B. PAYNE. Witnesses:

RUSSELL B. GRIFFITH, FREDERICK E. Fox.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. 0. v

